Center for Sight, Fall River, Massachusetts

August 14, 2017

If you have cataracts or are considering cataract surgery
and lens implants, if you are a good candidate, it is pretty likely that your
cataract surgeon will offer you the option of a multifocal lens implant in
addition to the standard monofocal lens implant. The objective of using a
multifocal lens implant to correct vision after cataract surgery is to help
patients become less dependent or completely independent of glasses after their
cataract is removed. A multifocal lens implant allows patients to see at a
range of far, arms’ length and near without glasses whereas a monofocal will
require the patient to still need glasses for most arms’ length or close vision
tasks. Whenever we present or recommend this option to our patients they almost
always ask, “Which one is better?” or “Which one will I be most satisfied
with?” A multisite clinical trial was conducted and reported on in the Journal of Refractive Surgerythat compared outcomes and
patient satisfaction of monofocal vs. multifocal lens implants after cataract
surgery.

The results showed both monofocal and multifocal IOLs provided good clinical
outcomes. More patients receiving multifocal IOLs attained better uncorrected
visual acuity at a range of distances and spectacle independence compared with
patients who received monofocal IOLs. Patient satisfaction was significantly
better in the multifocal group.

July 16, 2017

Retinoblastoma is a rare but
potentially catastrophic eye cancer that is found in children during a routine
eye exam. We encourage all parents or caregivers of children to be sure that at
least their primary care doctor or pediatrician is performing a simple “red
reflex” test especially under the age of two years to quickly identify children
at risk. This is especially important in less affluent or lower socioeconomic
areas as there are a noticeable disparity in outcomes
for children with retinoblastoma
who have limited access to routine pediatric care. Researchers from Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders
Center report in a study published in the
journal JAMA Pediatrics found that although virtually all
the children in the study survived, Hispanic children and children who lived in
disadvantaged areas were more likely to lose an eye due to late diagnosis.
White children and children who live in areas with a higher socioeconomic
status were more likely to have been diagnosed early enough that physicians
could preserve their eye and vision. The study found:

·At the time of diagnosis, the disease had
spread beyond the eye in 33 percent of Hispanic children, compared with 20
percent of non-Hispanic children.

·At diagnosis, disease had spread beyond the
eye in 28 percent of children from high-poverty areas, compared with 20 percent
of other children. Similar disparities were found in other measures of
socio-economic status.

·Three-quarters (74.5 percent) of Hispanic
children had the diseased eye surgically removed, compared with two-thirds
(67.5 percent) of non-Hispanic children and less than two thirds (63 percent)
of non-Hispanic white children. Among non-Hispanic black and Asian children, 74
percent had their eye removed.

·Three-quarters (76 percent) of children
living in disadvantaged counties had their eye removed, compared to less than
two-thirds (64 percent) who lived in advantaged counties.

As with many eye problems,
conditions and diseases, retinoblastoma eye cancer can be best addressed with
early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

July 2, 2017

It is not uncommon for us to see patients who experience
vision and eye problems from having suffered a stroke. These can often include
double vision, loss of peripheral vision and even loss of sections of their
visual field which can affect safe comfortable mobility, and sometimes just
reduced vision. It is important, and we tell patients, that recovering from a stroke doesn’t end with the first weeks of
acute care and the period of functional rehabilitation that follows. Negative
effects of a stroke can present themselves well past the initial event. In
healthy older adults, exercise training and a social network that allows both
intellectual and social engagement have been shown to be effective measures for
helping recovery from a stroke. Using your eyes and vision may be fatiguing
even for normal recreational activities but is very important to recovery.

June 4, 2017

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a condition that results from prolonged focusing of your eyes on a computer or other display device for protracted, uninterrupted periods of time. Typical symptoms of CVS include headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, eye redness, fatigue, eye strain, dry eyes, irritated eyes, double vision, vertigo, dizziness and difficulty refocusing the eyes. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, computer vision syndrome affects about 90% of the people who spend three hours or more a day at a computer. We now know that CVS is actually made worse by contact lens wear. According to a study in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics contact lens wearers are more likely to suffer CVS than non-lens wearers, with a prevalence of 65% for contact lens wearers. In particular, people who wear contact lenses and are exposed to the computer for more than 6 hours per day are more likely to suffer CVS than non-lens wearers working at the computer for the same amount of time.

May 7, 2017

Moderate or advanced glaucoma can affect driving safety according to
research noted in the American Journal
of Ophthalmology. Patients with bilateral moderate or advanced glaucoma are at risk for unsafe
driving. For this reason we now suggest a very careful evaluation for those
glaucoma patients who might be at risk so that we can evaluate driving safety
of these patients. Glaucoma, especially in more advanced stages can reduce
peripheral vision as well as contrast and make driving particularly
difficult-especially in dim illumination. Our goal is to help all patients
avoid vision loss from glaucoma by asking that you schedule regular eye
examinations with glaucoma testing as often your eye doctor suggests. This will
depend on the overall health of your eyes, your family history, your general
health and many other glaucoma risk factors your eye doctor may identify. The
key to preventing vision loss from glaucoma is early detection, diagnoses and
treatment.

April 30, 2017

According to a
recent study reported in the journal Ophthalmology, smoking,
diabetes and obesity may increase the risk of cataract
surgery in postmenopausal women. The results of the “UK Million Women Study” included more than 1.3 million postmenopausal
women who had not previously had cataract surgery. The women were followed for
cataracts treated surgically and studies with powerful statistics to calculate
the adjusted relative risks for cataract surgery in terms of use of hormonal
therapies, reproductive history, lifestyle factors and diabetes treatment. Two
percent of women had diabetes, which was the strongest risk factor for cataract
surgery. Additionally, both past and current smoking was found to elevate the
risk for cataract surgery. Obesity, with a Body Mass Index of 30 kg/m² or
greater, was also found to have a small increase in risk of cataracts treated
surgically.

If you or someone you know
has been told they have a cataract or is concerned about cataract symptoms of
cloudy vision, glare sensitivity or night driving problems and wishes to
schedule a cataract & lens implant exam please call us at 508-730-2020, visit Center for Sight, Google+ or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule a Free LASIK Consultation.

Center for
Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts 02720
for patients from
Massachusetts or Rhode Island.

April 17, 2017

Sometimes we are surprised by the many conditions and
circumstances that can cause you to have dry eye problems. We know that many
common medications, including those for blood pressure and allergies can
certainly cause dry eyes. We know that the hormonal changes associated with
menopause can cause dry eyes as well as certain environmental conditions of
dustiness, breeziness or dryness you might encounter. We also know that
problems with eyelid inflammation, called blepharitis, or systemic inflammatory
diseases as well as contact lens wear can contribute to dry eye symptoms. Now,
according to research we reviewed in Cornea we also know that loose eyelids may also cause a disruption of the
normal tear film and lead to dry eye complaints. In a study of some 138
patients, those who had loose eyelids were much more likely to suffer from
sensations of grittiness, in adequate tear film quality and quantity and dry
spots on their cornea-all key sign and symptoms of dry eye. The researchers
concluded that eyelid laxity or looseness should be tested in anyone with dry
eye complaints as it might be a source of the problem.